News Weakly - 16 Nov 2024

Sami Shah records a special editorial edition from the iconic Raffles Bar in Singapore, weaving tales of overpriced cocktails, relentless humidity, and the Singapore Writers Festival. Between peanuts and jazz setups, Sami reflects on media, bias, and the complexity of modern news consumption.

Highlights:

• The Singapore Sling Debacle: Why some overpriced cocktails are worth it, if only for the experience (but not this one).
• Architecture of the Future: Singapore’s vision of a retro-future versus the LED-filled dystopias of China, the UAE, and the West.
• News Narratives Gone Awry: A deep dive into the Amsterdam riot story, examining media bias, misinformation, and how the rush to break news is breaking journalism.
• Lessons from Pakistan’s Media Evolution: How 24-hour news, sensationalism, and competing realities transformed the news landscape in the Global South—and what it tells us about the West.

Sami also takes a reflective turn, advocating for slow journalism, the virtues of newspapers, and a life less cluttered by social media doomscrolling.

"Real life is what you escape to when Twitter gets too much to handle."

Whether you're here for the rants or the laughs, don't forget to:

• Support on Patreon.
• Leave a 5-star rating and review.
• Share the podcast with your friends.

No episode next week as Sami takes a short break but will return the week after with your regularly scheduled News Weakly, where we punch the news in the headlines, weakly!

Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster.

For more: http://thesamishah.com

Theme music "Historic Anticipation" by Paul Mottram

This podcast is written, hosted and produced by Sami Shah.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NEWS WEAKLY – 9th November, 2024

This week on News Weakly, Sami Shah brings us a special editorial edition, delivered right from the OzAsia Festival in Adelaide, where he’s been curating the Weekend of Words event. The episode splits into two parts to give listeners the option to tune out or dive deep into the U.S. election aftermath. Here’s what’s in store:

• “The Anti-Trump Segment”: Sami kicks off with a section where he avoids any mention of the U.S. election or Donald Trump, fulfilling a listener’s wish for a political escape. Instead, he explores lighter fare, responding to questions from Patreon supporters and discussing personal topics like the quirks of toothpaste, beloved pets, and the origins of his ultimate “porn name.”
• Reflections from OzAsia: In a touching segment, Sami reflects on his experience at the OzAsia Festival, sharing the gala’s theme, “I Was Supposed to Be…” and reading a poignant speech he gave on the value of storytelling, art, and hope in a world that feels increasingly dark.
• “The Trump Section – Enter If You Dare”: For those who want a cathartic take on recent events, Sami reluctantly dives into Trump’s re-election and his own missed predictions. From the pitfalls of punditry to the human psychology behind backing strongman figures, he tackles the complexity of democracy and the allure of authoritarian promises, using his own experience with Pakistan’s political history as context.

Enjoy a uniquely structured episode designed to satisfy political junkies and avoiders alike, packed with humor, introspection, and sharp commentary on the state of the world.

And don’t forget, if you’re in Adelaide, swing by the OzAsia Weekend of Words for Sami’s book club, panels, and stand-up shows, all happening November 8th-10th!

Enjoy News Weakly? Keep us going by supporting the podcast on Patreon at patreon.com/samishah. Every contribution helps us stay ad-free and focused on bringing you the best in satire and news commentary.

Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster.

For more: http://thesamishah.com

Theme music "Historic Anticipation" by Paul Mottram

This podcast is written, hosted and produced by Sami Shah.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NEWS WEAKLY – 2nd November, 2024

Description:

This week on News Weakly's bonus edition, we get the lowdown on the upcoming US Election with The Dollop's Dave Anthony.

Enjoy News Weakly? Keep us going by supporting the podcast on Patreon at patreon.com/samishah. Every contribution helps us stay ad-free and focused on bringing you the best in satire and news commentary.

Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster.

For more: http://thesamishah.com

Theme music "Historic Anticipation" by Paul Mottram

This podcast is written, hosted and produced by Sami Shah.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.